The Kodak 35 Rangefinder Camera had many changes

GO TO THE GUEST BOOK PAGE TO PARTICIPATE IN MY NEW KODAK 35RF CHAT BOX! Link to Guest book page at the bottom of this page. For years I thought the only noticable differences between various Kodak 35RF cameras was whether it had a black or a aluminum rangefinder arm, and whether or not it had flash synchronization.  I am discovering in it's short lifetime (over 10 years, but some of those were war years when they weren't made unless for the military), there were quite a number of lesser changes also. To help you identify the age of your camera, the lens serial number should give the age using the code "camerosity".  For example, I have camera with "ER" (e=4 and r=5) which would be 1945 and another with "ET" which would be 1949.  This is the lens serial number so it might not be the exact year the camera was made, just the year the lens was made.

Lens and shutter differences

The grooves on the the wind and rewind knobs are more noticable here.  Harder to see is the diamond pattern on the black knobs - also on some aluminum finish knobs.  The groove type grip also appears on grey plastic wind and rewind knobs on some versions. The shutter speed indicator dial (#7) has a recessed black rim on older models.  It is just flat with a black indicator line on later cameras. The focus wheel (#5) can have either radial lines or concentric circles.  The apparent age of my bodies indicate this may have varied back and forth over the production of the camera.  There may also be black wheels - I have seen cameras shown that appear to have black wheels, although it could be only a black reflection on the shineier radial finish wheel.  Lenses came in "Kodak Anastigmat Special", with and without "L" (Luminized) coating; and in the later Kodak Anastar lens.  The coated lenses can be identified by the "L" in a circle following the serial number. Shutters were the original Kodak No. 1 Kodamatic shutter and the later synchronized shutter, Flash Kodamatic Shutter. Older f-stops were continuous stops.  Later models had click stops.  I have seen 2 styles of click stops - one with indents at f-stop markings on the front plate, the other has a rim with indents on it mounded on the back of the shutter housing and an extension to the f-stop arm that followed this plate and dropped into the indents to provide click stops.

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Some differences inside the back

Main noticable differences inside the back include: #8, the arm supporting the bottom of the takeup spindle can be either black or chrome, and the screw holding it down can be either black or chrome (not necessarily both the same).  #9, a little hard to see, but the newer Anastar has a flat plate with the lens mounted in it.  The older lenses have a raised rim on the outside of the lens mounting.  Not shown, on the back, is a change in the back lock.  On the older backs, there is just a rotating lock. On the newer ones there is a odd shaped plate below the lock that pushes back the pressure plate to help the back slide on more easily. Also, with the addition of the odd plate the arm on the outside that you turn to lock the back was simplified.  Older versions had a grove and a little protrusion on the back lock that traveled in that grove to control where it stopped when opening and locking.

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